Pie-machine.



5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

No. 794.130. PATENTBD JULY 4, 1905.v E. L. SONS.

PIE MACHINE.

APPLIGMIONv FILM? Nov. 10,1904.

PATENTBD JULY 4, 1905.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

E. L. SONS.

PIB MACHINE APPLICATION FILED N0v.1o,19o4.

PATENTED JULY 4, 1905'.

E. L. SONS.

PIE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 10,1904.

5 SHBBTS-BHEET 3.

No. 794,130. I I- PATENTED JULY 4, 1905. E. L. SONS.

PIE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

ir' g;

PATENTED JULY 4, 1905.

E. L. SONS.

PIE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov.1o,19o4.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

e NITED STATES Patented July 4, 1905.

PATENT OEEICE.

ERNEST L. SONS, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOWILLIAM SANGL, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PIE-MACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,130, dated July 4,1905. Application iiled November 10,1904. Serial No. 232,188.

T0 all whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, ERNEST L. SoNs, a citi- Zen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania. have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPie-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inpie-machines, and more particularly to a machine adapted to supply pieswith meringue and the like substance after they have been baked.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a machine of the abovetype wherein novel means is employed for automatically feeding piesunder a suitable receptacle adapted to contain meringue to be depositedupon the pies.

Another object of this invention in the above connection is theyemployment of novel means for automatically feeding and depositingmeringue upon pies, and I employ novel dies for giving the depositedmeringue any desired configuration and a suitable oven whereby themeringue may be slightly baked or browned before being discharged fromthe machine.

The above are some of the primary objects and elements used inconnection with my improved machine, and the details, together with themany advantages derived from the same, will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, and then more particularly pointed out in the claims, andreferring to the drawings accompan ying this application like numeralsof reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved machine. Eig. 2is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional viewof an oven used in connection with my improved machine. Fig. 4 is a topplan view of the machine as constructed in accordance with my invention.Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of a disk-crank used in connection withthe machine. Eig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of a portionrof themeringue-receptacles.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the traveling chain.Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of my improved machine, taken on theline a' a' of Fig. 4, the lower portion being broken away. Fig. 10 is adetail view of a ratchet, showing the outer plate thereof removed. Fig.11 is a central verti-v cal sectional view of said ratchet. Eig. 12 is adetail perspective view of a clamp employed in connection with myimproved machine. Eig. 13 is a transverse vertical sectional view of myimproved machine, taken on the line y y of Fig. 2; and Fig. 14 is adetail sectional View of one of the dies that may be used in connectionwith my improved machine.

To put my invention into practice, I provide a suitablesupporting-frame, which I have shown as embodying the top rails 1 1, thelower side rails 2 2, supporting-legs 3 3 and 4 4, and tie-rods orbraces 5 5, connecting the supporting-rails and forming a rigid frame.

In describing the invention in detail reference will first be had to theparticular construction of the meringue-receptacles, which form theessential features of my invention.

In order that the invention can be clearly understood, I deem itessential that a brief resum of the meringue be set forth. The meringueor frosting as it is commonly called, is made from eggs and otheringredients, which are beaten to a stiffness, and is commonly placedupon pies and browned. Heretofore this meringue has been placed uponpies by hand, and the machine as constructed by me is adapted toautomatically deposit the meringue upon bottom pie-crusts which are fedthrough the machine. To this end I employ the meringue-receptacles 6 and7, both of which are located above the frame and in close proximity toone another. The main receptacle 6, which serves the function of areservoir, is supported by the legs 8 8 from the top side rails 1 of theframe. This receptacle or reservoir is provided with a central partition9, dividing the receptacle into two compartments l() and 11. Eachcompartment is provided with a suitable hinged lid 12, which may besecured in a closed position by any suitable means, such as the clamps,(designated by the reference-numerals 14 14.) In the compartments 10vand 11 are mounted the plunger-heads 15 15, which carry screws 16 16,that pass through the end of the receptacle 6. These screws are providedwith pinions 17 and 18, which mesh with beveled gears 19 and 20,respectively, supported in the brackets 21 21, carried by the end of thereceptacle 6. In these brackets and the lugs 22 22, which are carried bysaid brackets, are journaled the shafts 23 23, which upon their innerends are provided with beveled gears 24 and 25, that mesh with thebeveled gears 19 and 20. The shafts 23 23 extend outwardly upon eachside of the frame, and the mechanism used in connection withy theseshafts will be hereinafter more fully described.

Reference will now be had to Figs. 1, 7, and 13 of the drawings, whereinthe receptacle 7 is clearly illustrated, and this receptacle, whichreceives the meringue from the receptacle 6 and deposits the same uponthe pies, will be hereinafter termed a depositing-receptacle.7 Thereceptacle is provided with a -central partition 26, having a verticalslot 27 formed therein, this partition forming compartments 28 and 29.TheV receptacle in its entirety is mounted adjacent lto one end of thereceptacle 6, and is adapted to be normally held in engagement with saidreceptacle. The end of each of the compartments 10 and 11 of thereceptacle 6 is provided with an opening 28', and the end of thereceptacle 7 bearing against this end of the receptacle 6is providedwith openings 29 29,whicl1 at predetermined times are adapted to alinewith the opening 28', whereby the contents of the compartments 10 and11, which in this instance are meringue, can pass into'the compartments28 and 29 of the depositing-receptacle 7. The receptacle is providedwith a slidable lid or cover 30 and with a removable bottom 31, theinner side of which tapers, as indicated at 32, to acentral flangedopening 33. The lower edges of the receptacle are provided with lugs Y34, whereby the removable bottom may be secured to the receptacle by thescrews 35. The receptacle 7 is supported upon a plate 36, mounted uponthe upper side rails 1 1, said receptacle being mounted upon springs 37,which surround the depending rods 38, carried by the bottom of thereceptacle 7. The rods 38 extend through openings 39, formed in theplate 36, and have their lower ends provided with nuts 40 to limit theupward movement of the receptacle, and when it is desired to remove thereceptacle from the frame the nuts are removed. The bottom of thedepositingreceptacle is provided upon its sides with the dependingslotted arms 41, to which a mechanism is attached which will verticallyreciprocate the depositing-receptacle. Secured by the bolts 53 53 to theflanged opening 33 of the depositing-receptacle 7 is thedownwardlyextending chute 54, which is telescoped by the casing 55 ofthe die 56. The die 56 extends through an opening formed in the plate 36and is secured therein by the screws 57. Different forms of dies may beused for producing desired configurations of the meringue, and in Fig.14 of the drawings I have illustrated one .form of die which may be usedin connection with the depositing-receptacle.

In each end of the frame is mounted a shaft 42 and 43, carryingSprocket-wheels 44 44, over which pass the sprocket-chains 45 45, thesechains, together with the slats 46, forming an endless apron, upon whichthe pies are supported and carried beneath the receptacles justdescribed. Each slat is provided with means for supporting a pie, suchas the upwardly-extending pins 47, which are adapted to engage thepie-crust and retain the same upon the slat during its travel. Asuitable compensating appliance, as indicated by the reference-numeral48, is employed to compensate or provide for the stretching of theapron. This compensating appliance consists of mounting the shaft 43 inthe blocks 49, slidably mounted in the slots 50, formed in the frames atone end of the machine, and these blocks are adjusted by screws 51,which pass through the end of' the'frame and are operated by thehand-wheels 52. The lower edges of the upper side rails 1 adjacent tothe depositingreceptacle are provided with the hangers 58 58, and in oneof said hangers is mounted a stationary block 59, having a beveledsurface 60. In the opposite hanger is adjustably mounted a block 61,having beveled surfaces 62, and to this block is connected a screw 63,which passes through the block 59 and carries upon its outer end ahand-wheel 64. Mounted upon the beveled surfaces-60 and 62 of the blocks59 and 61, respectively, is a block 65, which is adapted to engage theunder faces of the slats46 at predetermined times. These beveled blocksare employed for raising the apron into close proximity to the die 56,which at times may be necessary in order that aperfect formation of themeringue is obtained upon the pie-crust. In Fig. 13 of the drawings Ihave illustrated a pie as being carried by the apron and locateddirectly beneath the die, and it will be observed that by rotating thehand-wheel 64 the central block 65 can be raised to elevate the pie intoclose engagementwith the die.

The mechanism which is employed for operating the different parts of myimproved machine will now be described, and reference will be had toFigs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, wherein the operating mechanism is mostclearly shown. The reference-numeral 66 designates the main power-shaft,which is located approximately below the depositingreceptacle andmounted in the lower side rails 2 2. The outer end of the shaft isprovided with a belt-wheel 67, over which a suitable IOO IOS

IIO

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belt passes to transmit power to the machine. Upon the opposite end ofthe shaft 66 is mounted an eccentric 68, which is adjustably connectedby a rod 69 to a rocking lever 70. The rod 69 is adjustable by means ofan adjusting screw 71, whereby to shorten or lengthen the throw of therod. The rocking lever is mounted upon one of the upper side rails 1,and a similar connecting-rod 72 is adjustably attached to theratchet-wheel 73, mounted upon one end of the shaft 42. This ratchet isillustrated in'detail in Figs. 10 and 11. A mechanism-similar to thatjust describednamely, an eccentric, connecting-l rods, locking-lever,and ratchet-is employed upon the opposite side of the machine, and eachratchet is arranged in a casing or box 74. Each ratchet is identical inconstruction. Therefore I deem 'it only necessary to describe one ofsaid ratchets. Each casingris provided on its outer face with flangedguides 75, which adjustably hold the wrist-pin 76, to which theconnecting-rods 72 are attached at their upperY ends. Arranged withinthe casing or box 74, being loosely mounted upon the end of the journalof Athe shaft' 42, is a disk 77, provided with notches 78,formingcam-surfaces by means of which the springpressed pawls 79 are moved awayfrom and held out of engagement with the ratchets 73, whereby, whendesired, the driving mechanism of the machine may be permitted to con-.

tinue in operation without imparting move.- ment to the shaft 42. Thedisk 77 is provided with an extension 80, forming a handle whichprojects through a slot 81 in the periphery of the casing or box 74, thedisk being held so as to maintain the pawls 79 out of engagement withthe ratchet-wheel orrin position to permit the engagement of said pawlswith the ratchet-wheel by the springheld locking bolt or pin 82. Uponthe shaft 66 are also mounted eccentrics 83 83, which are connected bythe adjustable rods 84 to the boxes 85, mounted in the slots 86 of thedepending arms 41. A shaft 87 is mounted in the lower side rails 2, 2,the ends of said shaft protruding without the frame of the machine andcarrying' disk-cranks 88 88. Upon the shaft 87, between the side railsof the frame, is mounted a sprocket-wheel 8.9, over which asprocket-chain 90v passes, that also passes over a sprocket-wheel 91,mounted upon ,the shaft 66, to impart a rotary movement to the shaft 87when the shaft 66 is rotated. The disk-cranks 88 are connected by rods93 93 to the flanged guides 94 of the ratchets 95, carried upony eachend of the shafts 23. These ratchets are identical in yconstruction tothe ratchets 7 3, heretofore described, with the exception that theshafts 23 extend through the ratchets and carry on their outerv endsdetachable crank-handles 96, the object of which will `be hereinafterdescribed.

Q held locking bolts or pins 82 of thc ratchets partition 26.

The spring- 95 are provided with inwardly extending arms 97, andadjustably secured by the bolts and nuts 98 upon the screws 16 are theclamps 99, one of said clamps being clearly shown in Fig. 12 of thedrawings. The clamp consists of two hinged members, and one of saidmembers is provided with an outwardly-extending arm 100, having abeveled face 101, and this beveled face is adapted to engage the arm 97of the ratchet 95 for a purpose which will be presently described.

The sides of the depositing-receptacle 7 are provided with verticalslots 102, which transversely aline with the slot 27 of the centraly Inthe compartments 28 and `29 of the receptacle7 are mountedvertically-reciprocating plates 103 103, which are connected together bya pin 104, which passes through `the slot 27, land the outer edges ofthe plates 103 are providedwith pins 105, which extend through the slots102 ofL the receptacle andI into the slots 106 of the bell-crank lever107, that is pivoted, as indicated at 108, to the bottom 31 of thedepositing-receptacle. The sides of the receptacleor reservoir 6 areprovided with pins 109, and the arm 110 of each bell-crank lever isadapted to engage said pins. v

The reference-numeral 111 "designates an oven which is mounted upontheupper side rails 1 1 of the machine, this oven being preferably locatedat one end of the machine andY in close proximity to the receptacle 6,.The oven is substantially arc-shaped in form andconsists of a casinghaving a gas-inlet port 112', to which a gas-supply 114 is connected,`and the inner face of the casing is provided with a plurality ofapertures 115. This inner face is also provided with an asbestos lining116, the oven in its entirety forming a gasburner which will brown themeringue deposited upon the pie-crusts as the pies pass through saidoven.

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Operation: The meringue which has been previously prepared is placedWithin the compartments 10 and 11 of the receptacle 6, and. upon the lid12 having been closed the machine is started. Prior to starting themachine the pie crusts are placed upon the slats 46, and when themachine is started .the apron will carry the pie-crusts beneath thedepositingreceptacle 7 As the shaft 66 is rotated thedepositing-receptacle is vertically reciprocated through the medium ofthe ec centric 83. A rotary movement is imparted 4to the shaft 87,which, through the medium of the crank-disk 88, connecting-rods 93, andratchets 94, imparts an intermittent or spasmodic movement to the shafts23 23, and these shafts, through the medium of thegears 24, 25, 19, 20,17, and 18, impart a revoluble inwardly-traveling movement to the screws16.

lAs these screws carry the plunger-heads 15 15 the meringue will beforced to the ends of the compartments 10 and 11, having the open- IIOings 29 formed therein, and as the depositing-receptacle 7 is verticallyreciprocated the openings 29' of said receptacle will travel past theopenings 28 and will receive a charge of meringue which is being forcedthrough the openings 29 28 by the plungers 15. When the meringue hasbeen placed within the compartments Z8 and 29 of thedepositing-receptacle, a downward movement of said receptacle causes theplates 103 to travel faster than the movement of the box, this beingaccomplished through the medium of the bell-crank levers 107. As thedepositing receptacle travels downwardly,carrying with it the chute 54,the meringue is deposited and forced through the die 56 upon thepie-crust, which has been conveyed beneath the die by the apron of myimproved machine. rlhe return movementof the depositing-receptacle isfacilitated by the springs 37 37. The pie-crusts having received themeringue are carried under the oven 111, where the meringueis browned,and the pies are removed from the endless apron at the end of themachine. When the screws 16 have traveled inwardly and plunger-heads 1515 have reached the ends of the compartments, the beveled faces 101 ofthe arms 100 strike the arms 97 and raise the locking bolts or pins 82of the ratchets 95 and permits the continuous operation of the machinewithout effecting the movement of the screws 16 16. rI`he plunger-heads15 are then returned to the forward part of the compartments 10 and 11by rotating the crank-handles 96 96, this being accomplished through themedium of the shafts 23, gears 241, 25, 19, 20, 17, and 18, and thecompartments can be relled with meringue. I may employ other means thanthe clamps 100 for releasing the ratchets 95 from operating the screws16 16, also other means for vertically reciprocating thedepositingreceptacle.

My improved machine may be readily used in connection with cakes fordepositing other substances than meringue, and I do not care to confinemyself to the specific construction shown, but may make various changesin the details of construction without departing from the general spiritand scope of the invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desirev to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a machine of the type described, the combination of a frame, areservoir mounted thereon and having openings in its forward end,plungers operating in said reservoir to force the substance contained inthe reservoir through the openings in said end, a verticallymovabledepositing-receptacle coacting with the reservoir and having openings toregister at predetermined times with the openings in the reservoir,means for intermittently conveying pie-crusts underneath thedepositingreceptacle, means in the depositing-receptacle for ejectingthe substance contained therein simultaneously with the positioningI ofthe pie-crusts underneath the receptacle, and an oven mounted on theframe and through which the pies are moved during their travel on theintermittently-operating conveying means.

2. In a machine of the type described, the combination with anintermittently-operating conveying means, and means for actuating thesame, of a reservoir divided into compartments and having an opening inthe forward end of each compartment, plungers- Working in unison in saidcompartments, a vertically-movable depositing-receptacle divided intocompartments and each compartment having an opening to register with theopenings in the reservoir at predetermined times in the movement of thereceptacle, and means within the receptacle operative with the descentthereof for discharging the material therefrom.

3. In a machine of the type described, the combination with anintermittently-operated endless apron, and means for actuating the same,of a reservoir divided into compartments and having adischarge-openingin the forward end of each compartment, plungers operating in saidcompartments, a depositing-receptacle mountedto reciprocate against theforward end of the reservoir and divided into compartments each of whichhas an inlet-opening, adapted, during the descent of the receptacle, toregister with the discharge-openings of the reservoir-compartments,presser-plates in said receptacle, and means for operating saidpresser-plates to discharge the contents of the receptacle.

4. In a machine of the type described, the combination with anintermittently-operated endless apron, and means for actuating the same,of a reservoir divided into compartments and having a discharge-openingin the forward end of each compartment, plungers operating in saidcompartments, a depositing-receptacle mounted to reciprocate against theforward end of the reservoir and divided into compartments each 'ofwhich has an inlet-opening, adapted, during the descent of thereceptacle, to register with the discharge-openings of thereservoir-compartments, presser-plates in said receptacle, means foroperating said plates to discharge the contents of the receptacle, andan oven mounted above the endless apron, as and for the purposedescribed.

5. In a machine of the type described, the combination with an endlessconveying-apron, means for operating the same, and an oven mounted abovethe apron, of a reservoir having a discharge-opening in the frontthereof, a plunger operating in the reservoir, avertically-reciprocatory depositing-receptacle having a tapering bottomand central dischargeopening, said receptacle having an inlet-opening,adapted to register at certain times withA the discharge-opening of thereservoir, the end walls of said receptacle being slotted, apresser-plate in said receptacle having pins projecting through saidslots, and means connected to said pins for operating the presserplate.

6. In a machine of the type described, the combination with an endlessconveying-apron, and means for intermittently moving the same, of adepositing-receptacle vertically movable above the apron, and havingslotted end walls, a presser-plate in said receptacle, and having pinsprojecting through the slots, and means connected to said pins foractuating the plate to discharge the contents of the receptacle.

7. In a machine of the type described, the combination with anintermittently-movable endless conveying-apron, having means for holdingpie-crusts, means for actuating the apron, and an oven mounted above theapron, of a reservoir having a discharge-opening in the forward end, andhaving pins projecting outwardly from opposite side walls thereof, aplunger operating in the reservoir, a depositing-receptacle having acentral dischargeopening in the bottom, a presser-plate Within thedepositing-receptacle having pins projecting through slots in the endwalls of said receptacle, and bell-cranks pivotally connected to thereceptacle with one arm of each crank slotted to receive the pins of thepresser-plate and the other arm of each crank engaged by the pinscarried by the reservoir-walls, as and for the purpose described.

8. In a machine of the type described, the combination of anintermittentlymovable endless conveying-apron, having means for holdingpie-crusts, means for actuating the apron, a reservoir mounted above theapron and having adischarge-opening in the forward end thereof, aplunger-head in said reservoir, connected to a screw extending throughthe rear end of the reservoir, means for actuating said screw includinga ratchet having a locking-bolt, an arm carried by said locking-bolt, anarm adjustably mounted on the rear end of the screw and having aninclined face to engage the arm carried by the locking-bolt, avertically-operating' depositing-receptacle receiving substance fordepositing from the reservoir, and means for discharging the substancefrom the depositing-receptacle to piecrusts carried by the endlessapron, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afHX my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

ERNEST L. SONS.

- Witnesses:

.W. SANGL, K. H. BUTLER.

